Shooting Stars
by Michiyo Ichimaru
Summary: He's unpredictable like the storms she hates... she can't rely on her skills to predict either of them and it scares her. Kousuke doesn't know but they're both about to learn. RioKou.


Shooting Stars

By Michiyo Ichimaru

"I HATE thunder." Rio pouted childishly, looking warily at the sky. Lately the weather had been ugly, despite how well things seemed to be going for them at the time. Kousuke was sitting by the window with a small grin on his face, as if he was never scared. He turned his attention away from the lightning streaks and smirked at the young frightened Rio.

"Because it's one of the few things you can't predict." Kousuke stated proudly, smirking at her smugly. "Am I right?" he asked, shutting the blinds abruptly with a 'click'. Already the sky was turning an ominous yellow shade only a few minutes after the storm begun. "It's going to be a big one." He thought aloud. It had been quite some time since a storm like this came around.

Rio jumped off the bed and ran to Kousuke's side. It was rare, but during storms, she depended on others to keep her safe. That was the only time she did, really, and Kousuke was really the only one she trusted besides Eyes, and Eyes would never bother with something as trivial as her fear of storms.

So it was just Kousuke that it applied to anyway. "Can't you make it stop?" she whined, reaching for his hand. His answer was always the same but she always asked anyway. For some unexplainable reason, Kousuke's voice was comforting to her during times like these.

Out of the blue, Kousuke asked, "Have you ever heard the myth that goes along with weather such as this?" He leaned in, looking her straight in the eyes with such a wicked grin on his face that Rio twitched involuntarily. Kousuke laughed and leaned in closer. "I guess not, huh?" Rio waited for something more, but all he did was turn away in silence.

"Well? Aren't you going to tell it to me?" Rio asked impatiently, poking him in the shoulder. Kousuke turned to her with an innocent look plastered on his face. "Well AREN'T you?" she shouted in frustration.

Coming short of an inch away from her face, Kousuke laughed. "Okay, okay! If you want to know so badly then I'll tell you. But don't say I didn't warn you." He added in a low, dark foreboding voice. "It's about a girl not much unlike yourself… except older… and cuter." He teased, poking her nose and squeezing both of her cheeks affectionately.

"KOUSUKE!" She shouted, fighting back the urge to punch him. But Kousuke just laughed and pulled his hands back to shield his face… just in case.

"Sorry, sorry… sheesh. Just kidding." He apologized. "Well… except about the older part. She was older than you. Anyway, she was the strongest in a clan of traveling shinobi. You know the ones… the 'trust no one' types. And that's exactly what she was. Nothing scared her. But then, in the middle of one of her missions, she ran into a man who stole her heart. For him, she changed her entire outlook."

Rio listened raptly, eyes wide. "But with those changes, she suddenly started seeing a lot of people in a new way. She made a big mistake, and cheated on her love, wrapped up in her new free lifestyle. Then, the first lightning and thunder was created… the first and last thing she would ever fear. It killed her."

"They say that every time it strikes, a shooting star would fall to hell." Rio gasped, shivering fearfully. His voice sounded so creepy that she just couldn't suppress it. Kousuke blinked and another clap of thunder resounded, loud and clear and larger than any other that night. Rio jumped right into his arms, whimpering pitifully. Her eyes were shut tight and she was practically suffocating him with her grip. "Rio?" he blinked in shock.

Her face was contorted fearfully. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Just make it stop… please." She cried, her mouth muffled by the material of Kousuke's shirt as she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face deeper into his chest.

Kousuke laughed, unable to hold it in. "Calm down, Rio. It's okay. You know it's just a story. If it bothers you that much, then I'll protect you." He grinned, hugging her. He wanted to laugh even more, but he decided that it could wait until he finished what he started. "I promise." He said, prying her off of him and offering her his pinky to seal the promise.

"Thanks!" Rio smiled, wrapping her pinky around his and kissing him briefly on the cheek while blushing profusely. "I feel much better now." She climbed back in bed and curled up in a snug position. Kousuke sighed and got up to tuck her in.

What else could he do? He couldn't resist. Kousuke kissed her lightly on the lips and smirked wickedly. "K-Kousuke!" He was planning to run off and ignore her, but she pulled him back by the arm. "Oh Kousuke… what am I going to do with you? You're getting soft…" she smiled, even though she couldn't hide the remains of her blush.

"I used to hate you and fear you..." Kousuke said simply, settling for sitting on the edge of the bed next to her. "But I always admired you. You reminded me what innocence really is. You seem strong, but really… we're all weak on the inside. All we'll ever be are cursed… Blade Children." Kousuke sadly.

"Like fallen stars…" Rio smiled softly, head down-turned. "We have no hope. But maybe it's not so bad. Even angels fall sometimes. Isn't it good enough just to be alive? Who cares about the technicalities? It's what you do with the gift of life that counts." Kousuke leaned back onto the bed and laid down, pulling Rio up against his side.

She was a bit short, but after a bit of adjustment, she fit nicely into his arms. "Nah. We haven't burned out yet, so… we're more like shooting stars. Blindly we are reaching forward for something like hope. It's like Kiyotaka said… we have to believe." He said, looking down into her eyes.

Rio nodded. "I know, I know. But it's so hard… all my life I've believed in myself and nothing else. Still… at least I can _trust_ you." She grinned, shocking him with a second kiss. "So, did you bring me a… melon-y present?" she asked anxiously. He never did, but she always had hope that he'd catch on and give in to buying her one.

"Don't tempt me." Kousuke said, winking and grinning maliciously. "I don't think you're ready for that kind of present." He laughed, pushing her back on the bed. He looked out the window. "Guess I was wrong. The storm seems to be over. Aren't you glad? Now you can go to sleep…" he said, standing up and stretching.

"Don't leave!" Rio panicked, pulling him back. "The storm might come back…" she said softly, looking down and away from him in shame and embarrassment.

Sighing, Kousuke laid back down. "Alright, alright… I DID promise, and I can't afford to do anything to be losing your trust now, can I?" he smiled. "Just go to sleep. I'll protect you my little shooting star." He said in a sugary sweet voice.

Rio scowled. "With that voice I can't tell if you're serious or just making fun of me." She said, resting her head on his arm. Kousuke laughed and pet her hair.

"I know." He said, closing his eyes and yawning. "Don't you trust me?"

For a minute, he didn't think she'd answer when he didn't hear anything from her. Instead, he felt two thin arms wrapping themselves around him and he smiled. When he opened his eyes, hers were already shut. Laughing silently to himself, he settled down to sleep. "G'night my shooting star." He said, but this time… with a soft, serious tone.

When his eyes were shut, Rio smiled and opened hers. "I heard that…" she giggled to herself and snuggled closer. "You know… you're just as unpredictable as the storm…"

Kousuke laughed. "But you're not afraid of me." He said. "If you were, you wouldn't trust me."

'I am afraid… no one's ever made me feel this way… But it's not a bad fear, just… uncertainty… It's not like me, but sometimes I'm afraid… afraid Kousuke won't be there one day… afraid he'll find someone else that he holds this way… afraid that this will end and I'll never have him to save me if I need him… just… afraid of losing him…'

"It warms my heart." She said simply. Kousuke blinked. It seemed like a very random comment but at the same time, it seemed to fit comfortably in his ears.

Kousuke closed his eyes and listened to the dwindling rain. "Me too…"

When Rio woke up the next morning, she knew the warm mass that was Kousuke was gone. However, she wasn't completely alone. In her arms she felt something lumpy. Tiredly opening on eye, she looked at the melon he had left for her and smiled widely. "…Stupid Kousuke."

Well this was rather random and on a whim. I was re-watching Spiral and realized what a cute couple these two would make… that, and I don't particularly like Ryoko. Sorry to any of her fans… I just don't. No harm meant. Um… please review. Thank you.

Michiyo Ichimaru


End file.
